Steampunk cogomascope

I do like to get a bit of steampunk in my craft projects, so my article offering this month for Craft Stamper is a Cogomascope.

Whats that? I hear you cry, well it's a twirling whirling, actually working cog card - all easily made with foamboard and craft knife.

You can read how to do it in the April 2010 issue of the magazine. The cool Tim Holtz cogs and Vintaj brass embellishments all came from The Altered Element, which has got some new exciting steampunk style things coming to the shop soon ;) can't wait!

Steampunk Jewellery Workshop

Hurah, it's here at last, a one off extravaganza of fabulous neo-victorian steampunk jewelry making.

It's going to be a great weekend, 22nd/23rd May 2010 - starting with some polymer clay techniques (including how to make your own millfiori cog cane!) and then continuing onto working with filligree and vintage items, distressing and aging, cleaning and shining! resin, shrinkplastic, stamping, riveting, and so much more!!!

Each participant will recieve a fabulous steampunk starter pack created specially for us by The Altered Element, and is encouraged to bring additional vintage and broken jewellery and watch/clock pieces to re-create into gorgeous things.

Places are very, very limited so do be sure and book soon.
To book your place you need to contact Joan Gordon (editor of Making Jewellery magazine) on 07549 5225753 or by email jg.makingjewellery@googlemail.com
hope to see you there...

You can tell I've been busy!!!

I've been so busy since Christmas I've had no time to blog! How shocking. I shall now try to remedy that with one huge post, jam pack full of the exciting things I've been doing...

First up on the Jewellery front...I've now had 3 front covers for Making Jewellery Magazine ;) Two more since Christmas, including the current issue, March which showcases my Polymer Clay Tulip Tiles. These are really, really sweet, and bound to make you feel like spring is on the way...

I've also got a full on steampunk article in Aprils issue of Craft Stamper coming up, with details of how to make a working cogamascope, using the stunning new stamps from Ink and the Dog

Talking of spring I was hoping to get to Spring CHS international today and say Hi to Tim Holtz and other fab crafty people, but when I woke up there was snow everywhere - at least a foot deep! Hopefully it'll clear by tomorrow or tuesday and I can pop down then instead...

I'm also halfway through my new book "Steampunk Jewelry" (or Steampunk Jewellery for those
in England...) which I'm writing for North light books. It's going to be fantastic - I'm very excited...

I also went down to Oxford history of Science Museum to the Steampunk Exibition at last. We had a great day out in full costume with all the other "mannequins" who had volunteered to be Steampunk statues for the day.

It was lots of fun and the science museum is absolutely incredible...full of beautiful artefacts like orrories. The Steampunk exhibition was certainly perfectly suited to the museum, although it's overall portrayal of the Steampunk genre was a very narrow one, I felt.

I finished the gorgeous Tudor wedding gown I'd been working on over Christmas too... It looked absolutely stunning, and the bride was thrilled. It is entirely silk, with the most exquisite silk brocade front panel and petticoat opening. I hand embroidered the top edge with Elizabethan goldwork, including real pearls and garnets too.

It's very much "The Tudors" rather than historically acurate Tudor. The sleeves are completely separate, the strapless bodice is fully boned and comes over the hip, the skirt is held in correct sillhoutte by a farthingale and petticoat.

I've also been very busy on the teaching and workshop front - I've been creating replicas of my exquisite original late victorian corsets for "Foundations Revealed" including patterns and step by step instructions on how to re-create them yourself.

Although they are both from roughly the same date they are so different, the first (in gold) is just one fabric layer, with exquisite shaping and godets - it's a factory made Charles Bayer corset. The second is a gorgeous corded corset, very similar to Symingtons "pretty housemaid" I had lots of fun working out how they were originally made as you can see on the site...

I taught workshops all through January and February too, including one for some wonderful Swiss girls who came over to Nottingham to learn corsetry, I also had visitors from Ireland and Wales in the studio in January, and what a fun, well travelled group of students they were...

I will soon be announcing details of a super exclusive special Steampunk Jewellery Workshop - so watch this space ;0

Making Jewellery Issue9

These polymer clay pendants were inspired by Donna Katos techniques in "surface Design" I combined a few of them, added my own twists and voila! They shine like stained glass - and could be just perfect for Christmas presents...

If you'd like to learn the details of how to make them, using normal polymer clay and liquid clay, they are featured in this months Making Jewellery Magazine

Mmmmmm, must put "more polymer clay" on my Christmas list...

Craft Stamper

Januarys issue of Craft Stamper is now in the shops with a lovely steampunk/altered art pocket watch project from Yours Truly. It's a little bit Mad Hatter, a little bit Rococo and all Steampunk!

Here's a little sneak preview of the main project - if you want to see more you'll just have to look in this most excellent magazine!

I have another awesome steampunk project in the magazine next year so watch out for that one too!

London

Well, hubby and I had a smashing few days in london, we looked at the christmas lights and drooled over the gorgeous things in the V and A. Harrods Christmas windows got our prize with a Wizard of Oz theme in eyepopping lime green and scarlet.

We went to the national gallery, (and Libertys...) Hubby also got very excited at seeing part of Babbages Difference Engine in the Science museum. They have a whole hall of steam, a positive mecca for all Steampunk afficionados. It even has Stevensons Rocket! We also went to the Hyde Park Winter wonderland and saw a magic show in the zippo circus tent ;0 all good clean family fun!

Making Jewellery Issue 8

My projects for this months Making Jewellery Magazine are a sweet origami star necklace made from christmas wrapping paper, and a special polymer clay Christmas bauble bracelet with a huge sparkly crystal and Vintaj wrapped clasp - you know how much I love my polymer clay!

The bauble project didn't photograph particularly well in the magazine - the original bracelet and my own photograph is much brighter in colour and sparkle!

I chose lovely bronze and gold steampunk colours with dark reds and purples and flashes of pale mint green - a colour combination I love!

Oh and if you missed my cover project last month with the art silver and polymer clay spacers, combined with purple and turquoise swarovski crystals, then Making Jewellery have thoughtfully provided it as this months on-line tutorial! check it out .